From 1967 to 1971 I was in the Navy where dress shoes had to be spit-shined to a mirror finish. Quite often I would shine my shoes on Saturday night for the following week, and one Saturday I thought, “There has to be a faster way to do this.” Eyeing the can of black wax, and the stove, I thought, “I know! I’ll warm the wax so that it will spread on easily and make a nice even coat.” So I put the opened can on the stove burner and turned the flame on low, watching as the wax began to melt. I thought that I must be a genius for having thought of this approach… until the entire can of melted wax ignited, sending flames all the way up to the hood over the stove! Panicking, I grabbed a pot, filled it with water and hurled…